Trawl net suspension



July 20, 1965 F. J. LUKETA 3,

TRAWL NET S USPENSION Filed Jan. 17, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FRANK d: ll/kifl Arrgewyf July 20, 1965 F. J. LUKETA 3,

TRAWL NET SUSPENSION I Filed Jan. 17, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 20, 1965 F. J. LUKETA TRAWL NET SUSPENSION 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 17, 1965 INVENTOR. FRANK J AU/(FI'A ,4 r roe/v5 V6 z-Inn t July 20, 1965 F- J. LUKETA TRAWL NET SUSPENSION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 17, 1963 United States Patent 3,195,260 TRAWL NET SUSPENSION Frank J. Luketa, 5567 Greenwood Ave., Seattle 3, Wash. Filed Jan. 17, 1963', Ser. No. 252,174 4 Claims. (Cl. 43-9) In my copending applications Serial No. 178,902, filed March 12, 1962, entitled Suspension for Trawl Net Panels and Chafing Gear, and Serial No.'252,193, filed January 17, 1963, and entitled Lower Bosom Suspension for Trawl Nets, there has been disclosed a suspension element--a sheet of rubberlike material in the first instance, or a bar normally of similar material inthe secondwhereby to engage the mesh points along the forward edge of the lower panel of a nets funnel, and to define the lower bosom and to distribute evenly the pull of a lower sweep line to the mesh, as the net is dragged forwardly. Since the net is dragged over the bottom, it must be protected from snagging and wear due to contact with the bottom, to which end chafing gear that extends beneath the mesh panel must also be suspended in the vicinity of the lower bosom. If this chafing gear is suspended, as usually it is, from meshes of the lower panel, aft of its forward edge, by means of a number of bolts or pins through the meshes and through the forward edge of the chafing gear at intervals, a protective apron suspended from the suspension element trails aft beneath the gap between the suspension element and the chafing'gear proper. This protects the mesh in the gap area.

In the second of the applications mentioned above the suspension of the net panels forward edge and of the apron are coordinated by means of a hanging line which threads through the forward mesh points and through intervening lugs on the suspension bar, which lugs also serve to retain the apron. It is sometimes desirable, especially in nets of somewhat larger capacity, to avoid reliance on a hanging line which if it should part (although that is extremely unlikely, for it is not stressed in use) might allow separation of the net panel and of the apron from the suspension bar, and instead to connect the mesh panel quite directly to the suspension bar. The present invention relates to a construction to such ends.

In somewhat greater detail, by the present invention, mesh points of the lower panel are grouped at close intervals, and pinned by bolts or the like passing through a split half of the suspension element, between which half and the cooperating half the panel edge is received, and by cooperating nuts received in the second half of the suspension element. Provision is made to keep the nuts, which are difiicult of access during assembly or disassembly, from rotating while the bolts are threaded home. The apron is secured to the suspension element by the same bolts and nuts, and protects the bolt heads, which are lowermost during trawling, from wear by contact with the bottom, while at the same time the apron protects the netting in the usual gap between the suspension element and the line where the chafing gear is attached to the mesh panel. The apron also protects the attaching means for the chafing gear, trailing aft behind the same.

The present invention is one of two related inventions, both for the same purpose, but achieving like ends by somewhat different constructions. The other is the subject of my copending application Serial No. 252,089, filed January 17, 1963, and entitled Trawl Net Suspension.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a net suspension which in detail is stronger, better protected against damage, and more reliable than suspensions heretofore known, convenient to assemble and to disassemble, and one which is of simple construction, and inexpensive.

Further objects will appear hereinafter as this specification proceeds.

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view, broken away in part illustrating a bottom trawl net which represents a type with which this invention is concerned.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged isometric view of an end of the suspension bar and associated elements of the trawl net.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of much the same assembly as in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the assembled suspension, partly in section at the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURES 5, 6, 7, and 8 show successive steps in the assembly of the suspension; FIGURE 5, a sectioned isometric view, shows the nuts ready for insertion in one part of the split suspension bar; FIGURE 6, also a sectioned and inverted isometric view, shows the nuts in place with the meshes attached and the bolts about to be engaged with them; FIGURE 7, also a sectioned isometric view, shows the assembly complete, but still inverted; and FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view, right side up, and includes an interconnection between the suspension bar and the bobbin line.

The net and its rigging are shown generally in FIGURE 1. It includes a door 5 at each side, dragged forwardly over the bottom by a towing warp 50 extending outwardly and aft from the trawler, and spreading apart the curtains 8 which depend from curtain lines with connect to opposite ends of an upper bosom 81, and at their forward ends are anchored to the respective doors. The curtains are free at their lower ends to sweep the bottom. The after ends of the curtains are laced along the lines 82 to the upper mesh panel 10 of a funnel 1 which spreads forwardly from the circle at where the funnel joins the codend 9. Suspenders of mesh at 11 at each side of and constituting in effect part of the funnel, are distributed about and secured at their after end to the codend about the circle at 90. At their forward ends the suspenders 11 are each gathered at a point, and a sweep line 91, buoyed up at intervals in its length, is secured at that point to the corresponding suspender 11, and extends forwardly to an anchorage at the corresponding door 5. The sweep lines, through the suspenders, assume the drag of the codend and its catch.

At the lower bosom of the net a suspension bar 2 is secured to the points at the forward edge of a lower mesh panel 12 of the funnel, in a manner which will be described later; this is the subject of this invention. The suspension bar 2 is connected at its ends between the suspender 11 and the sweep line 91. A transverse bobbin line 30 precedes and is joined at intervals to the suspension bar 2; on this bobbin line bobbins 3 roll when the net is being dragged over the bottom. The bobbin line is also connected at its ends 31 between the suspenders and the corresponding sweep line. For details of such connections reference is made to my aforementioned copending application Serial No. 252,193, filed January 17, 1963.

It will be clear from this general description that the suspension bar should remain reasonably straight, and must transmit the pull of the sweep lines 91 evenly to the meshes of lower panel 12, and thence to the lower part of the funnel 1. Also, the meshes of panel 12 must be protected from chafing and snagging upon the bottom. At the same time the mesh panel, and the immediately adjacent parts of the protective gear, must be readily and quickly removable and replaceable, in the event of damage to them. These purposes are all promoted by this invention.

The suspension bar 2, although it might be rigid, is

Their securement is by means of headed bolts 14- which,

,pass through holes 22 in the half 24, and thread within headed nuts 15 which are received and held nonrotatively in holes 25 in the half 23, and enter the holes 22 in the half Rotation of the nuts 15 is prevented by axially directed key-like retainers 16 which project laterally at the sides of each nut, the holes 25 being shaped somewhat as a key-hole to receive the nut and its retainers 1d snugly; The retainers 16 are also shouldered in ratchet fashion, as is best seen in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, to engage the resilient rubber-like material of bar 2 and to prevent them from dropping out of their holes in the half 23. The nuts 15 are circurnferentially grooved, at 17, to

{receive the mesh points at the forward edge of panel 12.

nuts 15 are first pushed into their holes in the half '23 of the bar, leaving the end portion opposite its head 15a projecting into the hole 22 inthe half 24; see FIG- URE 5. Now the net and the suspension bar are inverted, if they hadnot been inverted. previously, the half 24 is folded back, as in FEGURE 6, and the ends of the nuts '15 form posts with which the points of one or more mesh squares along the forward edge of the panel 12- are engaged. .A- sufficient number of nuts, sufficiently closely spaced, are used as will distribute drag from the bar 2 to the mesh panel l2 evenly and non-concentratedly. The mesh points, assuming the panel is point-cut, engage 'within the grooves 17. Now the half 24 is folded down,

and the bolts 1 are entered within the nuts 15 through the holes 22, and threaded home, as in FIGURE 7. The retainers 16 precluderotation of the nuts 15.

The apron 4 is held to the bar 2 by the same means. It has holes 46 along one edge matching the holes 25see FIGURE 5-and when the nut 15 enters its hole 25 it first passes through hole 4d, and its head 15a holds the edge of the apron d to the bar 2. The apron'extends thence about the forward edge of the er, and beneath the same, trailing aftas in FIGURE 8 to protect the mesh immediately behind the bar 2, and the suspension buttons 66 whereby the chafing gear 6 is suspended from the mesh 12. The heads 14a of bolts 14 are also protected from chafing by the apron 4 extending beneath them. I

The bobbins 3 roll over the bottom about a bobbin line that is joined at its ends 31 to the sweepline 91. The bobbin line is also joined at intervals to the bar 2. The latterconnection is by Way of links 32 extending aft from the bobbin line to a pin or bolt 33, by which it is connected to a clevis 34 that threads into a nut 35, the latter having the embedded cable 2%? threaded through it. Protective washers 36 of wear-resistant material guard the bolt 33 and its nut against abrasive wear as well as preventing trawl meshes from snagging on the clevis parts during certain phases of trawling.

Should it.be necessary to replace a panel '12, it is a simple matter to invert the net, throw back the apron 4, and remove the bolts 14. The suspension bar half 24 can then be folded back, the mesh points disengaged from the nuts 15 at their grooves 17, and disconnection is complete. Replacement is as simply effected. If the apron 4 mustbe replaced also, it is removable by removal of nuts 15 from their holes 25,-4Q. The entire job can be done quickly, yet the securement of all parts is thorough and simple, and amply strong.

The invention has been describedabove as applied to the lowenforward mesh panel of a bottom trawl net, and it will find its greatest usefulness so applied. Nevertheless, as a means of applying a drag force concentrated at two separated points, as at the ends of the suspension bar, evenly to themeshes across the forward edge of a mesh panel, the present invention is not to be restricted only to that location, nor even to a bottom trawl net. In a mid-Water trawl net the mesh panel might equally well be an upper or a lower funnel component, and in a midwater trawl net its bosommight readily be bar-cut rather than point-cut. v

I claim as my'invention:

1. In combination with a mesh panel of a trawl net which terminates at atransverse forward edge, a suspension element directed transversely ahead of said edge, suspension element having separable upper and lower'ilaps, with one of said flaps being-formed to include a series of holes distributed along its length, the

forward edge of the mesh panel being received between said flaps, sweep lines connected to the ends of said suspension element to drag the same forwardly, nuts received in the said holes distributed along the length of one such flap, and projecting beyond such flap, the other flap having holes toreceive the projecting portion of each nut, each nut having a retainer element directed axiallyv and projecting laterally, and the holes in the half of the suspension element which receive the nut being complementary shaped, said retainer element having a shoulder portion and being provided with ratchet 'means, and the suspension element being constructed sion element and mesh panel together such that the drag from the sweep lines is transmitted through the suspension element evenly to the mesh panel.

2. In combination with a mesh panel of a trawl net which terminates at a transverse forward edge, a suspension element directed transversely aheadof said edge, said suspension element having separable upper and lower flaps, with one of said flaps being formed to include a series of holes directed along its length, the

forward edge of the mesh, panel being received between said flaps, sweep lines connected to the ends of said suspension element to drag the same forwardly, nuts received in the said holes'distributed along the length of one such flap, and projecting beyond such flap, means preventing rotation of said nuts in said holes, the other flap having holes to receive the, projecting portion of each nut, grouped net meshes along the forward edge of the mesh panel receiving the projecting portions of the several nuts, and bolts complemental to the several nuts, said bolts passing through the flap opposite the flap which receives the nuts, said bolts being threaded into projecting net portions so as to secure the suspension elementand mesh panel together such that the drag from the sweep lines is transmitted through'the suspension element evenly to the mesh panel, withthe projecting portion of each out being circumferentially grooved to receive the mesh points which engage the same.

3. In combination with a mesh panel of a trawl net which terminates at a transverse forward edge, a suspension element directed transversely ahead of such edge, said suspension element having separable upper and lower flap portions, the forward edge of the mesh panel being received between said upper and lower flap portions, and sweep'lines connected to the ends of said suspension element to drag the same forwardly, one of the flap portions having holes distributed at intervals in its length, a nut received in each such hole, and compleare received, said nuts extending through the respective holes in the apron, and having heads to hold the apron to the suspension element, and the apron extending thence about the forward edge of the suspension element and then aft to protect the heads of the bolts engaged with said nuts.

4. In combination with a mesh panel of a trawl net which terminates at a transverse forward edge, a suspension bar of resilient rubber-like material directed transversely ahead of such edge, said suspension bar having a forward portion and upper and lower separable flaps extending rearwardly from said forward portion, the forward edge of the mesh panel being received between said fiaps, the upper flap having a plurality of holes distributed at intervals lengthwise, said upper flap also having a slot communicating with each hole, a plurality of headed, elongated nuts received one in each hole, said nuts each having a head and means formed on said nut engaged in the slot associated with the hole in which such nut extends, shoulders formed on each nut and engaged by the resilience of the upper flap to resist extraction of the nut, said nut having a portion projecting beyond the inner surface of the upper flap, and the lower flap having a hole to receive such projecting portion, and a bolt passing through each such last-mentioned hole, and threaded into the corresponding nut, each such bolt having a head, the mesh squares along the forward edge of the mesh panel engaging the several nuts, as posts.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 375,350 12/87 Glover. 1,986,780 1/35 Loring. 2,536,251 1/51 Baloun 43-12 2,783,573 3/57 Rau 43-11 FOREIGN PATENTS 727,652 4/ Great Britain.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

P. RAY CHAP-PELL, Examiner. 

2. IN COMBINATION WITH A MESH PANEL OF A TRAWL NET WHICH TERMINATES AT A TRANSVERSE FORWARD EDGE, A SUSPENSION ELEMENT DIRECTED TRANSVERSELY AHEAD OF SAID EDGE, SAID SUSPENSION ELEMENT HAVING SEPARABLE UPPER AND LOWER FLAPS, WITH ONE OF SAID FLAPS BEING FORMED TO INCLUDE A SERIES OF HOLES DIRECTED ALONG ITS LENGTH, THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE MESH PANEL BEING RECEIVED BETWEEN SAID FLAPS, SWEEP LINES CONNECTED TO THE ENDS OF SAID SUSPENSION ELEMENT TO DRAG THE SAME FORWARDLY, NUTS RECEIVED IN THE SAID HOLES DISTRIBUTED ALONG THE LENGTH OF ONE SUCH FLAP, AND PROJECTING BEYOND SUCH FLAP, MEANS PREVENTING ROTATION OF SAID NUTS IN SAID HOLES, THE OTHER FLAP HAVING HOLES TO RECEIVE THE PROJECTING PORTION OF EACH NUT, GROUPED NET MESHES ALONG THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE MESH PANEL RECEIVING THE PROJECTING PORTIONS OF THE SEVERAL NUTS, AND BOLTS COMPLEMENTAL TO THE SEVERAL NUTS, SAID BOLTS PASSING THROUGH THE FLAP OPPOSITE THE FLAP WHICH RECEIVES THE NUTS, SAID BOLTS BEING THREADED INTO PROJECTING NET PORTIONS SO AS TO SECURE THE SUSPENSION ELEMENT AND MESH PANEL TOGETHER SUCH THAT THE DRAG FROM THE SWEEP LINES IS TRANSMITTED THROUGH THE SUSPENSION ELEMENT EVENLY TO THE PANEL, WITH THE PROJECTING PORTION OF EACH NUT BEING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY GROOVED TO RECEIVE THE MESH POINTS WHICH ENGAGE THE SAME. 